Orphans Beloved: Aftermath
by regertz
Summary: A bit of fun post S5. The fates of our heroines discussed...
1. Chapter 1

Orphans Beloved: "Aftermath…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved and Sheldon Swifties bits in my Buffyverse and Sheldonverse, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

A bit of fun post S5

Disclaimer: No copy write infringement intended…

Toronto Family Services…

"I hope you know I'm only doing this because I'm fond of you, Alison…"

Smile at her frown…

Really?

"…And I suppose I do owe you…Ethan and I could never have freed Dyad from Topside and Susan's Neolutionists and toppled Evie Cho without you and the others." Hard stare… "Though of course, in a manner of speaking you two did kill me." Aldous Leekie in leather jacket, seated with the Hendrixes.

"Uh…That was me…Alone…" Donnie noted, anxious. "Ally is completely innocent."

"Donnie…" Ally's terse hiss. "We agreed. Mutual guilt."

"It's fine." Aldous waved a hand. "You had cause, to some extent…To my pov. Just be glad it's me sitting in judgment, not a court of law. And that actor had no family to pursue his disappearance."

"If you don't wish to do this…" Alison, grimly.

"I do…And Sarah insisted. And what Sarah Manning and her twin Helena both want, I find it best to agree to, if possible. Fortunately, in this matter I can, fully." Leekie smiled.

"It's terrible that we should even think of accepting your help. Still…We're not bad parents, even if I made some bad choices and pressured Donnie into following me." Alison insisted.

"Ally…I made my own…"

"Of course you're not…" Aldous waved a hand… "Though some of those choices…"

Sigh on Alison's part…

"I still don't love the idea of you resuming leadership of Dyad Group. What's to stop you from continuing Leda or Leda and Castor?" Alison noted after a long moment…

"Three national investigations, the collapse of Topside and its support for Dyad's more expensive secret projects…Alison, we're barely functioning now as a normal research/clinical firm and have no space for such risky business. Though I do hope to keep us at the cutting edge of completely legit biotech." Leekie smiled.

"Which I know you and your friends will be monitoring…As well as our new and very moral PM's government." wry shrug.

"You belong in jail, Dr. Leekie. Even if I do too…" Donnie sighed.

"That would hardly be good for Oscar and Gemma, Donnie. And your sisters…Be reasonable. Take your prizes and go home." Aldous noted. "You've ended Leda/Castor as projects…Dyad is out of the cloning business…And that hideous mockery of our work and your wife and her sisters, Brightborne, is gone, thank you sincerely for that. Lets let bygones be bygones and get on with our lives, eh? Alison, you know whatever else, I've always loved you girls like my daughters. I really did and do want to see you happy and to live your lives to the full. Nothing's made me happier than to help Cosima and Ethan complete the cure for you all."

"I guess we do owe you that much as well…And for saving Professor Duncan." Donnie sighed. "And for this, if you help us pull it off."

"We will…The judge is an old golfing buddy and I still command a certain amount of respect as a business leader and scientist." Aldous smiled. "Don't worry, Alison…You are not going to lose Oscar and Gemma while Donnie doesn't accidentally kill me again."

"It may not be accidental this time if you fail us, Doctor." Alison, grimly.

"Ally…" Donnie, patting…

"Just sayin'…" arch look. "Helena may be married and a mother, but I'm sure she would be very upset if things went wrong here."

"Then I can't fail…I'm far too anxious to remain on her good, or at least tolerant, side. You know I appreciated being invited to the wedding, even if she did threaten me during our dance."

"That was only a warning to maintain our agreement…" Ally corrected. "Though I'd heed my seestra even if she is anxious to clean up her act for Arthur's and the twins' sakes."

"Believe me…" Aldous smiled. "I take Helena Bell's threats very seriously. Now, don't worry…" he patted her, rising as a clerk called to them.

"Only thing I really worry about these days is our new neighbor…" Alison sighed.

…..

"Sarah…I swear…"

"You're Leekie's son, Cal…" Sarah fumed. Leaning back to regard him, grim look.. "Leekie freakin' junior, more or less…You want me to believe you knew nothing about Leda or us? No idea of what dear ole dad was up to?"

"Sarah, my father and I weren't speaking for years…"

"He brought us together…Deliberately…And you want me to believe you didn't know? I shoulda stayed with Vic, by this scenario… At least he really did care…"

"Sarah…Whatever my dad's actions at Dyad…"

"Skip it…Thanks for Kira. G'bye." She glared, rising from her seat at their booth.

Fung's…Only Helena would recommend it as "romantic hidesaway and really nice restaurant for meeting up with old boyfriend…", she thought.

And knowing Art Bell, he told her about what the place meant to him and Beth…She's a startlingly big person, me seestra.

Though she'd've gladly pretended to be Beth, miraculously found alive, if he'd asked for it.

Christ, why did I let a guy like Art go? I'd've been a better Beth…

"No…You can't just leave again, like that." Cal frowned. "I tole you, I hated my father's selling out to Dyad and the corporate world. I got out of it as soon as I saw my stuff was going to be used to kill people."

"Right…Sure…And I just happened to run into you that night. What a coincidence. Shite, I should've known. Lucky you didn't dissect Kira but betraying us'll do fine."

"Hey!" he grabbed at her arm. She shoving him off, violently…Furious glare.

"Bloody Hell! Don't you touch me! Ever!"

That crazy detective again…Undercover, maybe? A waitress eyed her maitre'd dad. Looks like she's got a new partner…

Not this one…Her dad shook head. The twin sister…Though funny how the accent's gone from Finnish to Brit. Maybe she's an actress.

"I didn't know my father'd maneuvered us together, Sarah. I didn't know any of it."

"I don't f-ing believe you! How could I buy such arseshite, Cal?! And if I did, I'd still vomit at the thought of a Leekie inside me." Grim rage.

"And Kira?" he eyed her. "You wanna vomit at the thought…? Uhhh…" at Sarah's hard slap.

"Bastard! You don't get to pull any shite here. You shut up on Kira! You are nothing to her, from now on! I'm leaving." She turned for the door.

"It locks from the inside…I paid to have them shut down but for us." he noted. "Want the key?"

"Don't need it, thanks." She turned and with a vicious kick, even as he tried to call to her…The wait staff and owner/maitre'd looking in shock.

"Shite! Jesus!"

"Sarah?!" he hurried over…

"Get away from me…Ow! God!" she hobbled back, snapping hand at him to ward him off.

"Did you break it? I tried to warn you. The door's reinforced steel under the façade, I think." He sighed. "I'll take care of any damage…" he turned to the concerned, somewhat grim maitre'd. "Just give us…"

"Goddamn! Bastard!"

"Well, not since Dad acknowledged me three years ago…" Cal…Grinning.

"You're worse than that Topside spy Jesse…" she fumed, pulling cell. "S?!" she asked the phone. "Send someone for me, I've broke me bloody foot. No, not on his bastard face…"

"Now, let me outta here!"

"Sarah, you can't hobble round on that. Let me take you to a hospital."

"Dyad, you mean…You…Bastard…Kira loves you, you worthless shite…You made…Us…" she broke down.

"Sarah, I didn't know." He sighed, raising hands at her leap/hobble back.

Gotta remember I can't kick me way through everything…Sigh…Goddamn.

"I used my mom's name for years. I'd no idea Dad was involved with you till it all came out about Dyad and him."

"And then…" she had recovered quickly, staring coldly at him when not hopping to relieve the pain.

"And then I was afraid to tell you, for a while. I thought you'd leave me. And you did, though not for that reason. Sarah, after I knew, I…I didn't know what to do."

"Bollocks! You did what Dad wanted, got his lab rat preggers."

"I did not know." He insisted. "If I'd known, would I have let you back in my life?"

"God knows…Dad wanted Kira and wanted her kept outta the Proleithians' and Neos' hands. I gotta sit."

"Let me…"

"Sod off!" she hopped to a chair and sat.

"Bring her a bucket of ice, would ya?" he turned to the waitress. "Sarah, should we call an…?"

"Sod off! And you, bring that bloody ice!" she called to the waitress after fuming at the standing Cal.

"Sarah, Dad operated on the principle of keeping the subjects in the dark. Doesn't it stand to reason that he'd've kept me in the dark?"

"Leekie's genes in my baby…I wanna throw up." Sarah shook her head. "God, it was bad enough what he did to poor Donnie and Ally…"

"I won't defend him…" Cal sighed. "But he only gave Donnie advice with Ally…She met him independently, you know that."

"I thought I was the one free of them…Of him…And all the time…" Sarah fumed. "Goddamn…" she wept again.

"Sarah, whatever Dad did…I love you…And Kira." Cal, sighing. "You know that's true."

"Bloody hell…Where's that ice?!"

"You gave Paul another chance…" he pointed out. "Can't you at least…Thanks." He took the proferred bucket of ice from the rather annoyed waitress.

Sarah grabbing as he offered it to her, carefully lifting foot… "God!" she howled.

"Let me…Sarah, I'm just gonna take the shoe off." Cal insisted as he bent ove, she pulling foot back, groaning.

"Why should I be surprised…Jesse…Jeenifer's Greg…Paul…You…" she grumbled. "Careful, there, you sob!"

"There…Put it down in the ice. Should we call that ambulance?"

"Just leave it…And, leave…" she frowned.

"I wasn't a monitor…" he frowned. "Don't put what's not on me."

"Being a Leekie's bad enough. I trusted you…I loved you." She shook head. "Moron me, I shoulda known."

"You wanna blame me for my dad, fine. I blame him for plenty already. But Kira's my kid, too…"

"Don't you even think about it…" narrow look, growl. "I won't even need to go to Helena…I'll do it meself."

"Not with that foot…" he noted. "Cosima and Delphine are back together…" he noted quietly.

"Delphine proved herself, sorta…It's Cos' business in any case." She eyed him. "I'm less angelic."

"Give me my chance…" he eyed her. "Sarah, I won't let you down."

"How could I ever trust you?" she regarded him. "Not that I ever would consider it."

"You either believe I love you or you don't." he replied. "And you believe I love you…"

"Fuck off!" she glared. "I came here…"

"Because you wanted me to explain…So you could forgive me." He noted.

"So you could prove us wrong and Leekie a liar, you mean." Glare.

"Meaning you hoped I would."

"You lied to me!"

"No. I only kept the truth from you when I found out, just before you left. What was I gonna do? Have you run right out and into the Neos' arms? I did tell you before Dad did."

"Yeah, big of you."

"I know, stupid. I should've just hired Ferdinand to take Dad out for real." He nodded.

"Wish you had…" she sighed.

"Still could…He's out on bail. And you know him, he'd risk it just for the thrill."

"Cal…How could I ever…?" she eyed him. "God, this foot hurts. Why didn't I get the super fast healin' bit?"

"Maybe it's just slower or it skipped a generation…"

"This from dear ole Dad?"

"No…My hunch…Being a genius has its advantages, as Wile E Coyote used to say." Grin.

"Arsehole…" she glared.

"The arsehole you love." He noted.

"The hell I do…Do I look like Rachel Duncan?"

He grinned…

"All right, bloody funny…" she shrugged. Sigh…

"He really didn't tell you I was at that bar?"

"All I know is I was called to meet a reporter to discuss the way my pollinators had been turned into war drones… She offered to expose the whole thing. Dad knows me pretty well, I guess."

"Which you already knew, having built the prototype for the military…" Sarah noted.

"Before I decided what I was getting into was wrong and left…"

"With a shiteload of cash…" she noted.

"Not as much as if I'd stayed but yeah…I can't deny it but I've tried to put it to good use."

"Not of all it?" she stared.

"No, not all…I paid to keep this place closed during lunch, remember. Enough to get Kira through college and help you add a little Beth or Rachel to your wardrobe if you like, regardless of whether you stay. And maybe fund Ally's next campaign and any ecoprotests Cos wants to do. But no more weapons work…"

She shook head…Eyeing him…

"God, will I kill you if I ever find out you knew…" she noted. "And I am never calling Aldous Leekie, 'Dad'."

"It's unnerving enough that Rachel calls him Uncle Aldous now…" Cal shook head.

…..

"So…" the grubby looking man eyed the blonde-haired woman before him. Not too bad…

Might just be worth stringing her along a bit…

"You're lookin' for an executive position?"

"That's right." Rachel in her rather uncomfortable seat, forcing a smle.

"But no college diploma?" he regarded the computer screen before him.

"Well…I did my studies at home and on the job." She noted, a bit nervously trying to conceal her bad leg with the other.

Besides, crossed is the new open…So that literary rag in the reception room, "Cosmo", says

"At home and on…The job…" sigh. "Well, honey…You ain't going nowhere without that sheepskin."

He eyed the screen… "And as for your references…"

"I was CEO of a major biotech firm and on the board of its holding company…" she frowned.

"The Dyad Group…" he eyed her. "Which has no one who remembers any Rachel Duncan."

"Nonsense…Everyone remembers me. I'm unforgettable."

"Well, two of your references there laughed when I called and said they'd never heard of you."

"Those bastards!"

"And there's no listing of you among the corporate directory…No mention of you among Canadian or US exectives…"

"I was expunged…It was a cover-up."

"Uh-huh. And this 'Topside'? I can't even get hold of them."

"Marion Bowles? She's…My…"

"She's no longer on the board, deceased. Sorry."

"Deceased? I knew she wasn't…But…"

"That's what they say. Again, sorry…" he pasted sympathetic expression.

Ok, she's a gimp but I got take what I can get…he thought, offering oily smile. He resumed checking his screen.

"Hey, you got short-order cook experience? No?" he shook head, sighing.

"Well, look, sweetie." He leaned back. "You're not really what we'd call 'executive material' but anything comes my way, I'll give ya a call."

Frown…

Still, the third place I've tried…

"That would be fine, thank you." She sighed, rising carefully.

"Say, uh, if you're not doing anything tonight…? Maybe I could come round and we could discuss your future?" he noted, oily leer. "Might just possibly be an opening for a receptionist here, with yours truly…"

Narrow glare…

You little toad…I once could have you squashed without a thought.

"Uh, well…I'm engaged. Sorry." She offered thin smile.

"Nice." Curt tone. "Well, like I say…Anything comes up, I'll call."

I'll vomit…But probably come to hear…Sigh.

After all, Ferdinand's new job doesn't exactly pay well…Even if he rather loves being a high school teacher. She rose and struggled along…Pulling cell from purse.

"Yes, I'd like a ride to Bailey Downs, please." She asked the phone. "I'm downtown now…It is under $10 one way, right?"

Well, one mustn't despair as Ferdinand says…A bit too cheerily, these days…Charlotte does need me at home for now anyway. And with me behind him, guiding him, he's sure to be principal one day. And when he does take the chair, I'll be ready to launch my ruthless campaign to seize Alison's school council seat. Already I'm undermining her with the neighbors. They loved our pot luck Saturday.

And it is nice to see all the kids…They always say my fruit snacks are better than Hendrix's.

….


	2. Chapter 2

Orphans Beloved: "Afterword…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved and Sheldon Swifties bits in my Buffyverse and Sheldonverse, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

A bit of fun post S5 ongoing…Consider it part two…

Disclaimer: No copy write infringement intended…

"I cannot believe I'm doin' this…" Sarah frowned.

"It's Professor Ethan we're visiting, Sarah…" Cosima sighed as they stood on the porch of a reasonably pleasant older brick and stucco house, large but not overly so, with the pleasing addition of a sunroom/conservatory at front…

"The Duncans"…On mailbox at end of driveway…

"And you took Cal back, even though it makes you more or less…"

"Don't even start that way, Cos…" Sarah glared. "He didn't know what Leekie was to us and I've choosen to believe that…" sigh. "I know you think…"

Door opens…

Jesus…Dear God…Mutual stares.

"Rachel, I might've known…" Sarah fumed. "What've you done with Professor Duncan this time?"

"Sarah…" Cosima, gently… "I think…"

"My father is in his study, with Mother…" Rachel, calmly…Leaning on crutch. "I just stopped by, at their invitation. They are my…Parents, you know."

"We just came to give Dr. Duncan my weekly blood sample." Cosima explained, holding up container. "He is ok, right?" hard stare…A bit matching Sarah's despite her effort to be reasonable.

"Of course…And no, my husband isn't here. He's at school." Rachel, cocking head. "You seem very well, Cosima. Nice to see."

"Thanks."

"Yeah, you'll live." Sarah, curtly. "You wanna ask the Professor to come here? We'd definitely like to see him now."

"He's a bit busy tending to Mother." Rachel, coolly. "Sarah?..." As Sarah pushed past…Cos following, just a hint of apologetic look…

"You best pray he's ok…" Sarah, grim look back as Rachel tried to hobble after them.

"Sarah?! This is my parents' home! I assure you…"

They'd reached the study…Locked, Sarah rattled the door.

"Don't be so foolish!" Rachel cried as Sarah prepared a kick…Hesitating as Cosima noted the broken, cast-covered foot.

"Hold me while I use the other…" Sarah, reaching for support to Cosima.

Both suddenly freezing at the harsh tone from within…

"You bloody whore!" a brutal rasp…

"Ethie…I thought you dead, I tole you, darling…" Susan's pleading voice.

"Goes off with the Neos, slips out on me, does she?! Shacks up with my friend Aldous, then a bloody freak of a Castor…!" sound of harsh slap… Groan…

"I was saving you from the Neos, they'd decided to kill you for abandoning the experiment. Aldous must have told you, I was the one who warned him. Ira reminded so much of you, dearest. OH!…" cry…

"It hurts, does it?! Good, you miserable bitch!" Sound of slapping…

"Father always believed in discipline as well as love in equal measure like any good British father of his era." Rachel noted, fondly. "Ever see that wonderful father of Lane Pryce in 'Mad Men'?" she beamed at the two eyeing each other.

"It's been taking you a long time to fully heal, hasn't it?" Cosima eyed her.

"Hmmn…Oh, well…I uh, fell recently…" Rachel, shrugging.

"Father? Mother?!" she called. "Cosima and Sarah are here!"

Pause…Sounds of hasty rearrangement…

"One moment, dear…" Susan's call…

Door opens, Ethan looking gentle and benign, smile… "Girls…Do come in. I was just getting Susan settled for her sitting up."

"Hello, girls." Susan in wheelchair, smiling…Surgical items on tray beside her, shawl over her blouse.

Both eyeing her…

"Brought our weekly sample, did we?" Ethan, cheerily.

Cosima offering container gingerly…Which he took and set down on a desk beside him.

"And are you…Ummn…" groan… "Sorry, bit stiff still today…" Susan noted… "…Well, Cosima?"

"Uh…Yeah, yeah…Very…" Cos, nodding.

"Rachel?" Ethan, mock-frown, wagging finger. "You've not been at your sisters…? You have been a deserving girl."

"No, Father…I've been exemplary and most deserving." Rachel insisted. "I was about to offer tea."

"Sounds very good." Ethan nodded. "A most deserving girl are we today." Pat to head.

Rachel, arch look to Sarah…I am the most deserving of good girls…

"Oh, I think we best be going…" Sarah, a bit perturbed.

"Yeah, lots to do…" Cosima, equally so…

"Oh, not yet!" Susan, anxiously.

"Susan…If our girls need to go. After treating everyone so incorrectly, I think you'd best leave them to it." Ethan, quietly grim stare.

"Yes, Ethan…" nervous nod. "See you another time, girls."

"I'll see this gets analyzed as quickly as possible, ladies. Good day, girls. My best to your mothers." Ethan noted. Cos and Sarah eyeing each other again, then following the waiting Rachel at door on crutch.

Door closing behind them…Susan giving despairing sigh.

"It's so good to have the family back together. Like the old days…" Rachel noted happily. "I got a good deal of fatherly affection from Aldous you know, but I've so missed Father's proper mix of stern guidance and unconditional love."

"Yeah…Great…" Sarah nodded.

"Nice…" Cosima agreed.

"All I really needed was a bit of the ole proper stick, well and frequently applied, you know." Smile. "Perhaps you can stay to tea another time…" Rachel, bizarrely warm smile at front door. "We really should get to know each other as…"

Loud crash from study…Harsh voice resumed…

"…Sisters." Rachel beamed.

On the one hand, maybe we ought to intervene…Sarah eyed Cos.

On the other, Prof Duncan does seem to have his psychos well in hand…

And it is Susan and Rachel…Best to leave it to Swan Guy…


End file.
